


Ethics

by fawatson



Category: The Last of the Wine - Mary Renault
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-24
Updated: 2008-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-25 02:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1627601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fawatson/pseuds/fawatson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lysis and Alexias as friends and lovers exploring the nature of honour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ethics

**Author's Note:**

> **Written for:** Oshun  
>  **Yuletide Request:** Slash - any rating but higher preferred; not the aftermath of Lysis' marriage  
>  **Acknowledgments:** Many thanks to my sister Greer Watson for going above and beyond the call in beta-reaing yet another story for Yuletide!  
>  **Author's Notes:**  
>  In Chapter 27, when Lysis and Alexias are based at Phyle, Renault wrote: "Our best sport was raiding our own estates. There were scores of us who had had land stolen by the tyrants. They looked after it well, as I found when we raided mine. I had never seen it so thriving and well-stocked since I was a child."  
> Sorry Oshun; I know you would have prefered a higher rating but I'm afraid that just didn't fit my style! I also realise you would have prefered the two of them in their youth but I'm afraid this is what came to me!  
> 

The raiding party descended on the farm just after dusk, creeping in quietly at first, to have the advantage of surprise in case of resistance. Like so many others though, they found the slaves had no reason to fight for their master's property and the disheartened servants left in charge were more welcoming than belligerent. The frightened women came out of hiding as they realised no insult was being offered; Lysis quickly put a stop to any disorderly conduct on what had once been his own estate. The farm quickly offered up the fruits of its bountiful autumn harvest, carefully stored against winter. Knowing well from old where the best stores were kept, Lysis supervised the loading of pack animals. 

Alexias went in search of better than sacks of grain, amphorae of oil or wine, and jars of black olives, essential though they were. He found it in a byre at the back of a small field close to the main farmhouse: a small flock of sheep. They had no dogs to herd the full flock, so he selected only one likely looking beast and pulled it forward from the rest. Panic-stricken, the sheep baaed loudly while pulling backwards with all its strength. He dragged it out from the shelter, determined. For all they ate well at Phyle, he'd still not had roast meat for a week. Once outside the shelter, the beast broke free as he turned to close the gate to the byre. It ran wildly. With a wild whoop, Alexias grabbed up the spear that he'd rested against the side of the animals' shelter and chased after the ewe. 

Lysis' head turned round at the cry, alert in case of problems. He relaxed as he saw Alexias spear the beast and heard her dying squeal. 

"Hunting boar again?" Lysis asked, even while laughing.

Alexias just grinned in reply, before stooping, hunting knife in hand, to gut the dead animal, and then supervise her loading onto a donkey.

An hour later, as they trekked back over the hills, everyone's mood was jovial. There had been no problems and the looting had been good. Lysis and Alexias listened to the confident talk of the future, of when Athens would be free and honest men could walk tall and proud again in their own city. Back at the fort, Lysis directed the distribution of supplies, leaving Alexias to see to the animals. The sheep's carcass was delivered to a communal kitchen for preparation. It joined a deer they had killed in the woods on the way back. They would feast well next day. 

Lysis was tireless, checking everything, seeing all was right and where it was not, helping to sort out problems. Alexias worked with him for a time, watching him closely. There was a tension in him tonight that had not been there on previous raids. Alexias was the other side of the square, supervising some men cleaning weapons when he saw Lysis stop suddenly as he bent to pick something up. Lysis straightened slowly, leaving the bundle he had been reaching to rest on the ground. Alexias' eyes grew concerned and he shook his head slightly. He'd thought so. Lysis had strained that muscle in his shoulder again tonight. He watched as his friend gave an order to one of the men who picked up the bundle, and then nodded decisively as Lysis found another task to address himself to. Alexias looked round just to double check. Yes, there were enough others to do what work was left. 

It was a good clear night. The breeze had dropped and the moon shone clear. It was just a shade off full so there was plenty of light. Alexias gathered supplies and took them to the spot he'd found a couple of weeks ago. Here they would have privacy. He spread their cloaks on the ground and looked out his precious supply of oil. His knife, already sharp, was honed again. He set out the cups he'd borrowed from the kitchen and jug of wine; he'd prepared it with less water than usual. A loaf of bread and some olives completed the late night feast he'd organised. Lysis would be along soon; he'd know where to look once he saw their bundles gone from their usual resting place. 

Presently he heard movement along the path and the shrubbery parted to reveal his friend. Lysis had let his public face drop and now looked disheartened. He moved stiffly. 

"Don't sit down," said Alexias. "I've got everything ready to take down." He grabbed a long piece of linen and the two of them headed down to swim. They were not the only ones, however. It was a merry band at the river as the men washed one another's backs. Alexias sat on a rock behind Lysis and trimmed his hair and beard with his sharp knife; Lysis returned the favour. Then, catching Alexias' eye, Lysis nodded back in the direction they had come and quietly they slipped away together. 

They sat on their cloaks, sipping wine and eating the food Alexias had scrounged from the kitchen, talking of the raid. As Alexias waxed full of his plans for the future, Lysis grew silent. 

"What is it?" asked Alexias. "You've been troubled since we left your farm."

"It was something one of the servants there said." 

"You don't want to listen to that man," said Alexias. "Kritias' man."

"But he wasn't. That is why it bothers me. His father served there before him - served my own father."

"And now he works for Kritias? Well, he might not have had a choice," Alexias offered as explanation. 

"He spat at me; said my family had done nothing but take from the farm, drain it dry for our wars. He said Kritias had at least bought stock and rebuilt the barns and repaired the roof to the house." Lysis was openly distressed now. "He was right."

"Hmm, perhaps, but he's forgotten it was Kritias and his ilk who voted for those wars. Forgotten the wealth they brought Athens for a time. Forgotten the duty of a citizen to fight, even when he voted against the war. As a helot he'd never really have faced that. And he's forgotten - or perhaps in tending his duties at the farm, never knew - that Kritias only came by his wealth to rebuild the farm through dishonourable means." 

"Perhaps." Lysis did not sound reassured.

"The helot's view is never the same the citizen's and it does no good debating ethics with one. Come, you are tired, and that shoulder is troubling you again. This is the time to relax; the ethics of war can wait till tomorrow." With this Alexias reached across to pat his friend's shoulders lightly. 

"Your shoulder is troubling you again. Lie down and I'll rub you."

The expression on Lysis's face lightened as he looked at his friend one long moment, before he slipped out of his chiton and lay prone on the cloaks, resting his head to one side. Alexias too, slipped out of his clothes, before kneeling over his friend's back. He began stroking the base of Lysis' neck, gently smoothing his fingers around the base of the head and then running his fingers through his hair. Lysis moaned. Alexias could feel the tension easing from Lysis as he worked down his body, massaging evenly for the most part but with special attention to his friend's stiff shoulder. 

He kneaded the buttocks firmly, and then, gently, he reached through Lysis' legs and to massage him. He ran his fingers lightly over the skin, tickling slightly. A low groan rewarded Alexias and Lysis turned over onto his back. Alexias continued to stroke sensitive flesh, then added a little more oil to his hands and settled to a steady rhythm. He looked up and along Lysis' arched body. His arm curved over his head, and his neck was stretched to one side as his head moved restlessly against the cloak beneath it. Despite the chill air, Lysis' skin shone with a fine sweat. Alexias turned his gaze downward again to view Lysis' groin. He bent and kissed. Lysis sucked his breath in sharply as his head jerked in surprise. 

"Alexias..." Lysis tried hard to hold on to his fraying control. 

"Relax."

Alexias' hands were massaging with relentless rhythm now. He bent and kissed a second time, and this time lingered. Lysis cried out with his release. Smiling, Alexias slid back up in the bed, kissing Lysis gently on the side of the neck before he eased down on his side, parallel to him. Lysis's eyes opened slowly and he smiled sleepily at his lover. His eyelids opened just that little bit wider as he saw Alexias licking his sticky hand. His friend's face was intent as he carefully licked up the side of one finger and down the next. Lysis pulled the hand away and stretched across to kiss Alexias.

"You learned that during the siege, didn't you?" Lysis voice was even and low as he spoke of what both had carefully avoided mentioning before. 

"You knew?" 

"All men did things they preferred not to mention - all men who survived that is. You must know I never would have asked that of you," said Lysis. 

"I know. You would never ask, and I trust you in that honour. But an offer is not the same, and I wanted to, even if it is not a man's proper role," said Alexias. 

Lysis reached across again, kissed him and drew him close into the circle of his arms. 

"Rest now. We can discuss the ethics of love tomorrow."

 


End file.
